Sargent was one of the most influential portrait painters of his time, acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic and close friends with many leading artists, writers, actors and musicians. Yet despite leaving a huge body of work, we know little about Sargent the man. His portraits are intimate and experimental, conveying both the superficial appearances and psychological depths of his sitters' personalities, using the fluid brushwork that had been introduced by his friends the Impressionists. Reflecting the decadence and elegance of the Edwardian era, with theatricality central to his style, he provoked scandal, condemnation and praise.